In the first chapter of his book Beyond Good and Evil, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche describes the "will to truth" as the driving force behind philosophy and argues that philosophers are motivated by a desire to uncover what is true about the world, rather than simply accepting conventional wisdom. He shows how despite its importance as the driving force behind the philosophical inquiry, the will for truth is sometimes viewed with suspicion. He introduces the metaphysician’s prejudice as a form of dogmatism, to argue how the general conception of philosophy is a narrow-minded approach that is unable to grapple with the complexities of the human condition. He claims that true philosophical inquiry must be grounded in a deep appreciation of the diversity and richness of human experience and that it must be open to new perspectives and new ways of thinking.
According to Nietzsche, the value of the will to truth lies in its ability to liberate human beings from the confines of tradition and authority. By questioning conventional beliefs and seeking out new knowledge, philosophers can challenge the status quo and promote progress and change. However, Nietzsche also views the will to truth as inherently suspicious. He believes that philosophers are often motivated by a desire for power rather than a genuine pursuit of truth. He mentions in the seventh passage the example of Epicurus’ attitude towards the fanfare around Plato and his pupils to argue that philosophers can be malicious. In the ninth passage, he mentions the condition of stoics to highlight how philosophy, in its most spiritual form, is the will of power that shapes the world in its image. This power-seeking character of philosophy raises concern about whether philosophers use their knowledge to gain influence over others because they care about the collective good or just to advance their interests.
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Adding further suspicion towards the philosophical goal of “will to truth,” Nietzsche argues that the pursuit of truth is often accompanied by a tendency towards dogmatism and intolerance. According to him, the belief that one has discovered the ultimate truth can lead to a sense of superiority or even fanaticism, and can result in a neglect of other perspectives or ideas. An instance of his critique of this superiority complex can be noted in the 19th passage where he mentions Schopenhauer's book on willingness to loathe the philosopher’s tendency to attempt to understand a certain concept already known, absolutely and completely, without deduction or addition. This attitude favoring superiority is evident from Nietzsche’s critique of the metaphysician’s prejudice. Prejudice is characterized by an excessive faith in the power of reason and a tendency to prioritize abstract concepts over concrete experience.
According to Nietzsche, the metaphysician’s prejudice is deeply ingrained in Western philosophy and can be traced back to the ancient Greeks exemplified by Epicurus’ attitude towards Plato and his followers. He seems to mention Kant in the fifth passage to argue that metaphysicians tend to seek out universal truths that transcend particular human experiences and prioritize reason and logic over intuition and instinct. He also argues that philosophy often seeks an absolute or universally valid truth, which is independent of human experience. This approach is problematic, according to Nietzsche, because no one has access to an objective reality beyond the limits of human perception. In addition, he critiques the tendency of philosophers to prioritize abstract concepts and universals over concrete experience, which he believes leads to a devaluation of human life and the material world. According to him, these abstract concepts are the product of the abstract use of language in philosophy which also leads to a lack of direct relevance to human experience and thus has little value. This motivates the question of the value of philosophy if it were focused solely on abstract concepts.
Nietzsche also raises suspicions against metaphysical and logical systems, which he also regards as a product of the philosopher's prejudices. In the fourth passage, he mentions the concept of ‘concept of truth’ as most indispensable which is nothing more than “logical fictions that are continuously falsifying our worlds”. He understands that philosophers are human beings who bring their own biases and prejudices to their work. However, he suggests that many philosophers assume that their systems of thought are objective and universal and ignore their personal biases, leading to a distorted view of reality. This argument against personal biases is highlighted by his critique of philosophers including Spinoza and Kant who he accuses of positioning the question in a syntax favorable for them to deduce an answer.
It seems like Nietzsche is suspicious of traditional philosophy because he believes it is based on unjustified assumptions about reality and human experience and is excessive in its use of abstract concepts and logic. Nietzsche suggests that philosophy should be more grounded in human experience and should be more receptive to alternative perspectives and ways of thinking. According to him, the prioritization of reason and logic over intuition is a fundamentally flawed approach to philosophy, one that is disconnected from the reality of human experience. He argues that there is no objective, universal truth that exists outside of human consciousness, and that any attempt to seek out such truth is doomed to failure. Moreover, Nietzsche sees the metaphysician's prejudice as leading to a devaluation of life and the material world. He seems to vehemently oppose the philosopher’s tendency to prioritize abstract concepts and universals, and the metaphysician's tendency to overlook the richness and complexity of individual human experience.
